Solstice N71 expands Honeywell's line of Solstice products, which includes Solstice N40 (R-448A), the most widely adopted replacement refrigerant for R-404A for the supermarket industry. Solstice N40 has been adopted by more than 60,000 supermarkets globally since its release in 2015.

With Solstice N71, Honeywell has engineered the next-generation solution that meets increasingly stringent regulations that combat climate change and is accelerating the industry's ability to achieve carbon neutrality. The new addition to the Solstice line builds on Honeywell's track record of sharply reducing the greenhouse gas intensity of its operations and facilities, as well as its decades-long history of innovation to help its customers meet their environmental and social goals.

The arrival of Solstice N71 will provide a timely lifeline to supermarkets, helping them comply with new standards, including those in California and the European Union, which restrict refrigerants with a GWP greater than 150 in new systems. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is also considering a similar national regulation that may take effect in 2024. These restrictions follow guidelines established by the California Air Resource Board (CARB), the U.S. EPA’s AIM Act, and the pre-established F-Gas regulation in the EU stemming from the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase down HFCs.

"The supermarket industry, along with countless other sectors, continues to face evolving regulations that make maintaining performance and sustainability challenging," said John Keating, vice president and general manager of Honeywell's stationary refrigerants business. "We anticipated this latest transition for refrigerants, and we are proud to introduce an innovative, next-generation solution the industry was missing. Solstice N71 is a groundbreaking refrigerant that provides grocers with a solution that is both reduced-GWP and operationally safe, enabling our customers to reduce their carbon footprint and comply with new regulations."

According to Honeywell, Solstice N71 provides superior eco-efficiency compared with both traditional R-404A stores and CO2-based systems, allowing customers to meet their sustainable goals while utilizing conventional equipment. In particular, Solstice N71 provides substantially stronger energy performance in medium-temperature applications, boasting a 13% reduction in energy usage against R-404A and over 30% energy reduction versus CO2-based systems according to Honeywell modeling. This refrigerant is optimal for medium-temperature applications, creating more options for both grocery brands and other refrigeration end-users alike along with equipment manufactures requiring an eco-friendly, cost effective way to achieve sustainability goals.